Posted on October 21, 2025October 21, 2025 | by admin

Step-by-step: Lost Residence Card (Japan)

1) Confirm your deadline

You must apply for a re-issuance within 14 days from the date you realized the card was lost (if you realized it while abroad, the 14 days count from the date you re-enter Japan). (Ministry of Justice)

2) Decide whether to make a police report

Recommended: If you can, file a lost/theft report (遺失届/盗難届) at the nearest police box (交番) or police station and keep the receipt/certificate. It helps your application. (行政書士法人IMS)
If you can’t (your case): Prepare a short written explanation of circumstances (理由書) stating when/where you think you lost it and why you couldn’t report it. Immigration accepts a statement if a police receipt isn’t available. (osaka-u.ac.jp)

If you miss the 14-day window, Immigration asks for a separate explanation of delay (there’s an official reference format). (Ministry of Justice)

3) Prepare the required documents

Bring the following to Immigration:

Passport (original). (osaka-u.ac.jp)
Application form: “Application for Re-issuance of Residence Card due to loss, etc.”
(在留カード再交付申請書 – 紛失等). You can fill it at the counter or download in advance. (Ministry of Justice)
Photo: 4 cm × 3 cm, taken within the last 3 months, plain background. (Study Japan)
Police certificate OR your written explanation (if no police report). (osaka-u.ac.jp)
Proof of current address (e.g., 住民票 or the receipt from your recent address update at Kameido). (Not always requested, but helpful for smooth processing.)
(If you realized the loss while abroad) any documentation related to re-entry, if applicable. (Ministry of Justice)

Fees: For loss/theft re-issuance, many universities and guides report no revenue stamp; policies can vary. Confirm at the counter. (kobe-u.ac.jp)

4) Go to the correct Immigration office (Tokyo/Kōtō-ku residents)

Kitasuna and Kameido are in Kōtō-ku, which is covered by the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau (Main Office) in Minato-ku (Shinagawa/Kōnan area).

Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau (Main Office)
5-5-30 Kōnan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8255
(Weekdays; check hours before you go) (Ministry of Justice)

Tip: From Shinagawa Station (Kōnan/East exit), take the Toei bus to 東京入国管理局前 (stops in front of the building). (Access info and hours are on the bureau’s official page.) (Ministry of Justice)

5) At the counter: what happens

Take a ticket for 在留カード再交付 (re-issuance).
Fill/submit the application + photo + passport + police receipt or your explanation letter. (osaka-u.ac.jp)
Answer brief questions (when/where lost, efforts to find it).
You’ll get a receipt.
Issuance timing: Often same day, but can depend on crowd and case; some offices issue within several days. (Ministry of Justice)

6) If you lost the card outside Japan

Report the loss to the local police abroad and keep the certificate if possible.
You cannot replace the card overseas — apply after you re-enter Japan and do it within 14 days of re-entry. (Ministry of Justice)

7) If you missed the 14-day deadline

Submit the re-issuance application plus a written explanation for the delay (official reference format exists). Processing is still possible. (Ministry of Justice)

8) While you wait for the new card

Carry your passport as ID.
If your old card turns up later, you must return it to Immigration. (This is standard practice noted across official guidance.) (Ministry of Justice)

9) Quick checklist (print this)

Confirm you’re within 14 days of noticing the loss. (Ministry of Justice)
Optional but helpful: police receipt; otherwise, prepare explanation letter. (osaka-u.ac.jp)
Passport
Application form (在留カード再交付申請書 – 紛失等). (Ministry of Justice)
Photo 4×3 cm (≤3 months old). (Study Japan)
Proof of address (住民票/receipt from your Kameido update).
Go to Tokyo Regional Immigration (Minato-ku, Kōnan). (Ministry of Justice)

10) FAQs for your situation

Can I do it at the Kōtō City/Kameido ward office?
No — residence card issuance/re-issuance is only by the Immigration Services Agency, not the ward office. (Ward offices handle resident registration/MyNumber, etc.) (Ministry of Justice)
I lost it after immigration and didn’t file a police report. Is that OK?
Yes — attach a simple explanation letter; Immigration accepts a statement in lieu of a police receipt. (osaka-u.ac.jp)
How long does the visit take?
Plan ~1.5–3 hours at the bureau, plus ~45–55 min travel from Kōtō-ku to Shinagawa (varies by queue/day). (Process timing is bureau-dependent; same-day issuance is common but not guaranteed.) (Ministry of Justice)

Here’s a **sample “Explanation of Loss” letter** you can copy, print, or write by hand when applying for reissuance of your lost Residence Card (在留カード).
It’s formatted for Immigration Bureau submission — polite, clear, and bilingual (English + Japanese).

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# 📝 **Explanation of Loss of Residence Card (在留カード紛失についての理由書)**

**To:**
Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Minato-ku, Tokyo

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### **Subject:** Explanation of Lost Residence Card

I, **[Your Full Name]**, holder of the status of residence **[Your Visa Type – e.g., Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services]**, lost my Residence Card after completing immigration procedures upon arrival in Japan.

I arrived in Japan from Malaysia on **[Arrival Date, e.g., October 18, 2025]**.
After clearing immigration, I noticed that my Residence Card was missing.
I believe I lost it during or immediately after the immigration process.

As I realized the loss only after leaving the airport, I could not file a police report.
I searched carefully but could not find the card.

I sincerely request the reissuance of my Residence Card.

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**Date:** [YYYY/MM/DD]
**Name:** [Your Full Name]
**Address:** [Your Address in Japan – e.g., Kameido, Kōtō-ku, Tokyo]
**Signature:** _____________________

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### 🇯🇵 **在留カード紛失についての理由書**

私は、[在留資格の種類（例：技術・人文知識・国際業務）] の在留資格を持つ **[氏名]** です。
2025年10月18日にマレーシアから日本へ帰国し、入国手続きを完了しましたが、
その後、在留カードを紛失したことに気付きました。

入国審査を終えた後に紛失に気付いたため、警察に届出をすることができませんでした。
探しましたが見つかりませんでした。

つきましては、在留カードの再交付をお願いいたします。

**日付：** 2025年10月〇日
**氏名：** [氏名]
**住所：** [住所]
**署名：** _____________________

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Here is a comprehensive list of the main regional offices of the Immigration Services Agency of Japan (入国在留管理庁) and their jurisdictional coverage across Japan. Please note that there are branch offices and satellite offices beyond this list, so if you’re in a less-urban area you may need to check for the nearest branch. The list below covers the major regional bureaus/district offices. References at the end.

Region	Office Name	Address & Notes
Hokkaidō	Sapporo Regional Immigration Bureau	12 Odori -nishi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Tōhoku	Sendai Regional Immigration Bureau	1-3-20 Gorin, Miyagino-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi-ken. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Kantō & Two Prefectures & Niigata/Yamanashi/Nagano	Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau (Main)	5-5-30 Kōnan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8255. Covers Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Yamanashi, Nagano. (u-tokyo.ac.jp)
Kanagawa (District)	Yokohama District Immigration Office	37-9 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Chubu / Central Japan	Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau	2-2-13 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken 460-8582. Covers Aichi, Mie, Shizuoka, Gifu, Fukui, Toyama, Ishikawa. (行政書士　武原広和事務所)
Kansai / West Japan	Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau	1-29-53 Kōnan-kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka-shi 559-0034. Covers Osaka, Kyoto, Hyōgo, Nara, Shiga, Wakayama. (同志社大学留学生課)
Hyōgo (District)	Kobe District Immigration Office	29 Kaigandōri, Chūō-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyōgo-ken. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Chūgoku / Shikoku	Hiroshima Regional Immigration Bureau	6-30 Kami-hachobori, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima-ken. Covers Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Okayama, Tottori, Shimane. (行政書士　武原広和事務所)
Shikoku (also)	Takamatsu Regional Immigration Bureau	1-1 Marunouchi, Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa-ken. Covers Kagawa, Ehime, Tokushima, Kochi. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Kyūshū & Okinawa	Fukuoka Regional Immigration Bureau	Fukuoka Airport Domestic Terminal No.3, 778-1 Shimo-usui, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka-ken. Covers Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
Okinawa (District)	Naha District Immigration Office	1-15-15 Higawa, Naha-shi, Okinawa-ken. (行政書士　武原広和事務所)
Airport / Port Specific Offices	e.g., Narita Airport District Immigration Office (Chiba-ken)	Terminal 2, 1-1 Furukome-aza, Narita-shi, Chiba-ken 282-0004. (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)

✅ Important Notes

This list covers the major regional bureaus/district offices. There are many branch offices (“支局” / “出張所”) and satellite offices under these regional bureaus (over 60 branch offices as per one source). (Baker McKenzie Resource Hub)
For your address (Kitasuna / Kōtō-ku, Tokyo), you would use the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau (Main Office) in Minato-ku.
Always check the official site of the Immigration Services Agency for the latest address, hours, and whether an appointment is needed. (ssw.go.jp)
When you apply for something like re-issuance of a lost residence card, you must go to the office that has jurisdiction over your place of residence. The regional bureau covers certain prefectures; within those prefectures there may be branches.
If your case is unique (lost abroad, etc.), it’s sometimes better to call the “Immigration Information Centre” for your region in advance to confirm procedure. (jsite.mhlw.go.jp)

Japan – Step-by-step: Lost Residence Card in Japan